The purest and oldest format of the beautiful game, Tests, is failing to pull crowds to the stadiums these days. With more in expenditures than in income from Tests, various new plans are implemented. While the Day-Night Tests have managed to bring both office-goers and students back into the stadiums, International Cricket Council (ICC) is now planning to introduce four-day Tests.
The apex governing body of international cricket is trying to introduce a shorter format of Tests, so as to reduce the workload of the players and add more Tests to the international calendar. With various limited-overs series and franchise-based T20 tournaments, the players hardly get any time to rest. Hence, the ICC is planning to make it shorter and cut a day off.
It was recently reported in an English daily, Daily Mail, that South Africa stands in opposition to ICC’s four-day Tests plan. That rumor has been rubbished by Cricket South Africa, the governing body of cricket in the rainbow nation. “In view of an unsourced and misleading report in the media this morning, please be advised that it is Cricket South Africa’s official policy to support four-day Test match cricket,” CSA said in a statement.
South Africa, in fact, hosted the first official four-day Test match between the Proteas and Zimbabwe. “We, in fact, hosted the first official four-day Test match between ourselves and Zimbabwe a couple of years ago,” the statement further read.
What is India’s opinion
Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is yet to give their view on ICC’s new plan regarding Test cricket. However, Indian skipper Virat Kohli has already stated his views about the proposed shorter version of Tests, and he certainly is not a fan of the idea.
“I am not a fan. I think the intent will not be right then because then you will speak of three-day Tests, I mean where do you end? Then you will speak of test cricket disappearing. I don’t endorse that at all,” said the Indian skipper, who seems to be worried about the future of Test cricket.
